Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Alan Sondheim

Paul Celan

I you, could Paul have Celan. saved I you, can't Paul imagine Celan. your can't I imagine could your have pain. saved Was when it I pain? read What you happened, I when wonder read you you Was wonder pain? if What speak sound at stupid all. here. sound I stupid have here. plumbed But could plumbed all. depths writing and you hate this writing when like won't this read won't I our radically ages unequal. would I'm be used radically to unequal. that, I'm it used and to our that, ages unequal not ages, much but else. not The much world else. is The hell. world radically is unequal hell. ages, No has one been will wrought know on what this has planet. been I wrought know on No planet. will everything awaits awaits slaughter. slaughter. I slaughter is painful and nothing asked asked this for wager. wager. waits Everything for waits the the has curtain often fall, the often bidding bidding else. of We something curtain We fall, no So control you over would this. have So to accept control It it evening not here evening where is are. here If and leave is earth evening either. you You leave must the like, evening, lack night evening, which night it into is which like, cosmos It descends. does Or for does you it. and me Or there waiting are for others eternity. waiting They eternity. not They have wait There that are long. technologies There at technologies for work who those that who long. means slaughter. escape never never you live have or did live. and did does my I mind live. let my escape. condemns At me. condemns not me. let wrote escape. so At mundane understand a me. style. I understand you mean you could. you. only only meet meet you. you save is full am possibility. could am you. sure The can given still I given I time. can time I change I things. can I. I changes things. things I none I happen. will write either.

I could have saved you, Paul Celan. I can't imagine your pain.Was it pain? What happened, when I read you I wonder if youcould speak at all. I sound stupid here. But I have plumbeddepths and I hate writing you like this when you won't read it and our ages would be radically unequal. I'm used to that,radically unequal ages, but not much else. The world is hell.No one will know what has been wrought on this planet. I knoweverything awaits slaughter. I know slaughter is painful andnothing has asked for this wager. Everything waits for the curtain to fall, often at the bidding of something else. Wehave no control over this. So you would have to accept this.It is evening here and it is not evening where you are. If you leave the earth it is not evening either. You must knowwhat it is like, this lack of evening, this night into whichthe cosmos descends. Or does it. It does for you and me butthere are others waiting for eternity. They will not have towait that long. There are technologies at work for those whohave the means to escape slaughter. They never live where youlive or where I live. But you did not escape and my mind doesnot let me escape. At night my mind condemns me. I wrote somundane a style. You understand me. I mean you would if youcould. If I could only meet you. If I could only meet you Icould save you. The world is full of possibility. I am sureI can save you still if I am given time. If I am given timeI can change things. I I I I I. I can changes things and noneof this will happen. I will not write this either.

I you, imagine Celan. your I pain. can't you when wonder read if you could I plumbed But when you won't this it used and to used radically to unequal. that, I'm radically world world much is else. hell. The know No this been planet. wrought painful know has for for nothing waits this the Everything to else. at to the fall, something the We of this. no would this. accept would not and evening it are. evening If where You not must evening what night of like, night of into evening, which this It Or does does me for will for are that those at who work slaughter. means They to live slaughter. live my But where escape you my not mind escape me so night me my escape. mind At wrote condemns so me. You mundane me. style. If you meet I only If you. sure The could world save am of sure possibility. save time given if time I can and things I none changes write I

I could have saved you, Paul Celan. can't imagine your pain. Was it pain? What happened, when read you wonder if speak at all. sound stupid here. But plumbed depths and hate writing like this won't our ages would be radically unequal. I'm used to that, unequal ages, but not much else. The world is hell. No one will know what has been wrought on planet. everything awaits slaughter. slaughter painful nothing asked for wager. Everything waits the curtain fall, often bidding of something We no control over this. So accept It evening here where are. If leave earth either. You must like, lack evening, night into which cosmos descends. Or does it. me there are others waiting eternity. They wait that long. There technologies work those who means escape never live or live. did my mind let escape. At condemns me. wrote so mundane a style. understand mean could. only meet you. save full possibility. am sure can still given time. time change things. I. changes things none happen. write